During the past decade, two parallel worlds have coexisted during MWC week: that of the congress of major multinational companies and that of its little brother: 4 Years From Now (4YFN). Some exhibitors were at Fira Gran Via, the others at Montjuïc. In the 2021 edition, still bound by negative tests and travel restrictions, they were unified under the same roof and the result surpassed expectations. The young companies brought much more to the giant Mobile than the organizers anticipated, and relationships were built and strengthened between them.
This was no pandemic-propelled fad, but rather a demonstration of the maturity of the technological entrepreneurial ecosystem. Last year, having garnered an international audience, it was signed and sealed, and in this edition, they have earned a huge space of their own, on their own merits: Pavilion 8. More than 700 international start-ups, a thousand investors and more than 300 speakers will meet there to discuss innovation in high-growth areas such as digital health, fintech or educational technology, among others.
"This year we have decided to focus more than ever on the people behind the start-ups and spotlight those who are developing groundbreaking technologies to solve real problems in sustainability, health, education or inclusive finance," highlights the director of 4YFN, Pere Duran. The metaverse and artificial intelligence are two technologies present in one way or another in many of the proposals.
The fifty or so companies that are part of Tech Barcelona are a prime example of the dynamism that the sector is experiencing in the city. They include companies in digital health, legaltech, natural language processing... The list of exhibitors and speakers reflects the cross-cutting technologies and industries that are growing in the Catalan capital. It also provides insights into new trends in more traditional areas, as highlighted by the presence of the Port of Barcelona, which implies a boost to the blue economy.
